EUREKA EMERGENCY RESPONSE UPDATE
The State Emergency Operations Center continues to coordinate response to Eureka after an E-3 tornado struck the city on June 26. Recovery operations will cease from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. to ensure the safety of those working in the area. Security will remain on-site overnight.
Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and the adjutant general, and Kansas Department of Transportation’s Secretary Richard Carlson and Deputy Secretary Bryon Harden traveled to Eureka earlier today to tour the damage. They were joined this evening by Governor Dr. Jeff Colyer and visited with local authorities on the response and recovery efforts.
Volunteers will begin citywide cleanup in all areas on Thursday, June 28 at 7 a.m. Volunteers should check in at the Matt Samuels Community Building before starting cleanup.
Westar Energy is reporting 2,800 customers still without power and they are actively working to restore power to all customers. Westar reports that in storms, sometimes the hardware that houses the electric meter and the wires that feed electricity into a home or business can become detached. This is the square metal box and connecting pole on the side of the house or building. If the hardware is damaged, Westar cannot reconnect the service line between the house and the power grid because it’s not safe. The homeowner is responsible for hiring an electrician to make these repairs before power can be restored to the residence.
The American Red Cross shelter remains open at the Methodist Church, 521 N. Main Street, and is also serving as a cooling station for residents. The Red Cross and Operation BBQ are providing mobile canteen operations on site. The American Red Cross is also providing cooling tents for volunteers on-site.
The Kansas Task Force provided search and rescue capabilities overnight and demobilized at 11 a.m. on June 27.
Mutual aid has been provided by Butler, Coffey and Lyon Counties.
Butler County Community Emergency Response Team will be coordinating a Volunteer Reception Center.
Verizon Wireless has deployed their COLT (Cell On Light Trucks) which will be operational on Thursday.
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management deployed the following assets to Eureka:
– GIS Response Vehicle
– Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Support Team
– Advance Incident Management Team (IMT), followed by a full Incident Management Team
– KDEM Response Liaison and Regional Coordinator to support incident command and county emergency management
– Communications on Wheels
– Resource Accountability Tracking Team
– Public Assistance Support for damage assessment and debris management
The SEOC will scale back activation overnight to a staff duty officer and will resume full activation at 7 a.m. Thursday morning.